CBS reports the father of the family asked Mendez to not blow smoke in his children's faces.

The eight family members consisted of a 35-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman and six children ranging in age from infant to 10 years old, police say.

The 32-year-old woman, the children's mother, died from her injuries at a hospital.

The father and all of his children were injured. The father and three kids were taken to the Westchester Medical Facility for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police say. The remaining children are being treated at the local hospital for their injuries.

Mendez was confronted at the scene by responding police officers. He was brandishing a knife and failed to comply with the responding officer's verbal commands to drop the knife, police say. He was then tased, subdued, and taken into custody without further incident, according to police.